Wikipedia vs. Britannica: Diners

For our hidden jewels project, my group chose the Eleven City Diner. While I was unable to find a Wikipedia entry or a Britannica entry on this specific diner, I have decided to compare to entries on Diners. It was very difficult to find a Britannica article on diners, and the closest article that I could find was one called, American Contributions to Restaurant Development. Comparatively, Wikipedia instantly gave me a four-page article on the history of diners. With many different pictures, and references to some of America’s most famous diners, Wikipedia far surpassed Britannica on ease of search and information on a specific topic. I felt that Britannica had many different specific articles such as 19th Century French Restaurants, Italian Dining, and Dining etiquette, yet I could not find a simple article on diners.
Finding the author of my Britannica article was very easy and straightforward. When I clicked on the author there was a small page on information on him. George Land is a restaurateur and contributor to multiple dining magazines. He obviously has a vast knowledge of food and the restaurant business; he is a very reliable author. As is usually expected of Wikipedia articles, there are dozens of contributors to the article. I could contract some of the Wikipedia authors who have public profiles, however most of the contributions were made with private profiles.
One aspect of the Britannica article that I really appreciated was the way to cite the article as a source in both MLA, and APA formatting. However, it was very vague about when the article was last updated. The update date can be found at the bottom of the last page of the article within the “how to cite this article” section, but you need to know how to understand the formatting in order to know which date is the right one. According to this section, the American Restaurant article was last updated sometime during 2007, it did not specify when in 2007 these changes occured. At the bottom of the Wikipedia “Diner” article, it the date of modification was clearly displayed. It was the most recently updated, with edits on November 28, 2007. At the bottom of the page there are links to discussion pages and other articles that may also contribute to knowledge on diners such as “Greasy Spoon” and “Coffee Shop.” There is also around eight external links that give more information about diners such as an Ohio Diners website, Dinerrat.com, and the Roadside Magazine website. However, the references page is very thin. I am sure that there were other references used, on the main page, only two of the sources are available. Without a large references page, I am beginning to question the reliability of the article, especially due to the lack of information about the authors of the Wikipedia article. However, I was unable to locate a references page on the Britannica article.
I believe that Wikipedia had the best article. As I previously stated, I was unable to find an article on Britannica specifically about diners. Although, diners and cafeterias were mentioned in the American Contributions article, diners were not explained as in depth as the Wikipedia article. On Wikipedia, they explained what a diner is, the history of diners in America and abroad, the cultural significance, cuisine and ethnicity, and the stereotypical image of diners. This is not just a beginner’s course on the definition of a diner, the Wikipedia article goes in depth on the history of the diner, as well as the cultural significance, which led to other forms of easy dining. On Britannica, the best article only gave a simple history of easy American dining and a short comparison between the comfortable dining institutions and the upscale.
One aspect of the Wikipedia page that I found interesting was the discussion page. It is a great way to share ideas and extra information about the topic. One discussion topic was discerning the difference between coffee shops and diners, as well as where diners are predominately found. I was unable to find a forum like this on the Britannica website, but they did have something called a “Workplace”. However, I was unable to go onto the page because you had to have some sort of subscription.
I feel that Wikipedia was a much more useful information source for this specific topic. The ease of search and depth of information far surpassed the Britannica article, and it also gave me more helpful sources of information for my topic. However, I have to take the Wikipedia article with a grain of salt. Each section is written and edited by dozens of different people, some experts, some who have private profiles. Also, the references page was very weak. The thing that I like about Wikipedia is that it is the easiest way to get a simplified overview of any topic. I am smart enough to know not to use Wikipedia as a source for a project or paper, however it often has great links to other useful websites and allows me to better understand a topic before I begin research. I am sure that Britannica would be a most more useful source for other information such as biographies, or 19th century French cuisine. Wikipedia may not be a completely credible source, but it is an easy, useful way to be introduced to a topic.

The Eagle's Shadow: A Response

I truly believe that there is a significant difference between America and Americans. It is the inability to understand these differences that have created confusion and misunderstanding among the American people. As an empire, America stretches forth to dominate all aspects of the world from marketing schemes to sell products overseas, to creating "democracy" abroad. It is this tendency, to stick America's arrogant nose into other's business, that leads to a feeling of anger from other countries. Furthermore, the hypocritical tendencies of the government and practice of serving only America, has led to widespread displeasure. Backed by a media run by corporations, the American people have been blinded by government propaganda who are serving the rich corporations that hold an immense amount of power. I have been frustrated in the vague way the news and other media outlets have been sharing America's actions overseas. I feel that growing up under the American education system, I have been cheated out of differing viewpoints regarding America's hand in world affairs and the large role it is playing in the global market. I am afraid that globalization is deteriorating the once brilliant array of culture found in other countries.
Now, the American people are another story. I believe that the American people are proud, creative, and strong. The diversity and mixture of many different cultures is one of the most important aspects of American life.

Chicago Adventure

A Trip to Millennium Park
By Shannon Dale

The first thing that I can say about Millennium Park is that it is beautiful. A fresh break of green from the dark stone and cement of the city. The first aspect of the park that drew the attention of our group was the two large columns with projected faces overlooking a small pool. The columns gushed water into an almost exaggerated puddle, where children splashed around. The Park has a very calm feel to it. We found most people walking through the gardens or sitting on one of hundreds of park benches scattered around the area. The Park was filled with a very diverse group of people ranging from all ages, to all ethnicities. The attractions in the Park were equally diverse, ranging from a small “park within a park” filled with indigenous plants from Chicago’s past, a large modern metal structure that covered one half of a large outdoor auditorium, to a Greek style fountain.
The view from the Park was extraordinary. It was fascinating to see the old limestone buildings overshadowed by the large skyscrapers in the background. Our group was especially interested in the juxtaposition of the new and old within the city. This theme continued within the park as well with the juxtaposition of the old (the park benches made out of old wooden railroad tracks) to the very modern (the Bean). The large, winding metal bridge (that was supposed to look like the winding Chicago river) crossed over the expressway and opened to a glorious scene of the bustling city. I felt like a tourist as I got a bit picture happy with my camera. Even though I had visited Millennium Park in the past, it is a completely different experience to really explore the park. It was the first time that I discovered the charming Park Grille on the Plaza, and the winding metal bridge. Millennium Park is a calm oasis away from the commotion of the city, yet easily accessible to everyone.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic Dishonesty: A Response
By Shannon Dale

When I first began reading the academic dishonesty article, it brought me back to High School. Back to the days when I would angrily watch my classmates cheat on a test that I had studied for hours the night before, or copy each others assignments because they were too lazy to do the work themselves. I worked hard in High School and I felt cheated by my classmates. Cheating has become a large part of High School, and according to the article Academic Dishonesty by Donald L. McCabe, it is running rampant on College campuses as well.
In our group, we discussed the reasons behind the deterioration of academic honesty. The sources of its decline are due to many different groups, not just the students themselves. It is true that many students believe that some forms of cheating (i.e. copying homework, or cheating on a quiz) are “less wrong” than larger forms of cheating. While all forms of cheating should be looked at as wrong, there are many factors behind this shift in thinking. First, many teachers don’t penalize for cheating. Either they choose to ignore it, or they believe that it is the student’s responsibility to refrain from cheating even though they still see students taking advantage of their trust. Also, some teachers are very strict whereas others very lax, making it hard for students to have a consistent stance on cheating. Secondly, in an age where getting the grade holds more importance than bettering oneself, it is easy to get caught up in cheating. When a grade holds scholarships or the chance to go to college, many students are willing to do whatever it takes to get the grade. Unfortunately, among many, cheating has become more socially acceptable and easier to do in the technology era. However, there are many students who still adhere to academic honesty out of respect for their teachers, peers, and themselves.
I am a bit skeptical about the Honor codes. I feel that in order to make them as effective as possible, they need to be more accessible than just printed in the student handbook. In order for the Honor codes to be successful, the institution must make the codes a part of the classroom and grading systems, and have a consistent policy among its faculty. I also believe that by creating harsh punishments for those who violate the codes will allow students to see the severity of cheating and allow everyone to understand the consequences.
I do not believe that cheating is a “victimless crime”. Those who cheat to gain credit are undermining the hard work and dedication of their fellow students. Those who cheat are also victims. They are victimizing themselves by earning a grade, and not educating themselves. They are losing out on the fundamental skills needed for jobs in the future, such as time management, multitasking, responsibility, and respect for their peers. I believe that these skills are some of the most important aspects of the college experience.
In order to learn, students must understand what constitutes cheating. I believe that working on homework in a group is a productive way to learn, allowing each student to share ideas and discover new ideas from each other. This only turns into cheating when a student simply copies an assignment from a fellow student. Changing a few phrases does not make the work your own. Copying off others tests, bringing “cheat sheets” into class during examinations, talking about what questions to study for with a student who has already taken the test, or memorizing the answers are all forms of cheating. Other forms of cheating are copy and pasting information from the internet or another work and presenting the work as ones own, buying papers online, or being ignorant of copyright rules are all equally wrong. Ignorance is not an excuse. While I believe their punishment should be less severe than those who cheated purposely, those who are ignorant to copyright rules should be educated.
Academic Honesty should become a stronger policy among educators. Those who cheat may not be caught, but their actions are detrimental to their growth as a student, and take credibility away from their educators and institutions.